Essay on American History To 1700 - 942 Words

The writings of Columbus, Castillo, and de la Casas represented vastly different points of view of the Spanish conquests of the Americas. In his first letter, Christopher Columbus mostly focused on the political victory of the voyage and arriving in the Indies (p. 32), and the splendor of the landscape including palm trees, mountains, and beautiful birds (p. 33). In the subsequent letter to King Ferdinand of Spain, Columbus seems selfish and one-sided (somewhat understandable considering that he was begging Ferdinand for forgiveness of his crimes (p. 35). Bernal Diaz del Castillos account, however, was not clouded by much bias or opinions at all. Because Castillo was just a simple foot soldier (Castillo p. 42) and was left to follow†¦show more content†¦33). After having been plotting against by his own men (p. 34), and being unsuccessful in governing, the weary explorer pleads with the King to let him leave the lands in America and perform a pilgrimage to Rome to convey his forgiveness (p. 35). Christopher Columbus once a confident man ready to take up the task and explore the New World, became downtrodden with the inability govern and carry out his personal wishes and those of the country he was serving. Cortes and Montezuma experienced moments of tension in their interactions with each other. Before they even met, Cortes was sent many gifts of gold and silver by one of Montezumas men, Quintalbor (Castillo p. 43). Montezuma specifically chose to send Quintalbar because his body and facial features closely resembled those of Cortes (Castillo p. 43). Both of these actions show that Montezuma was all ready becoming fearful that these strange men were going to threaten his land. Unfortunately, his gift-giving was counterproductive because it made Cortes and his men excited that the land was plentiful with gold. This ultimately became the reason that they attacked Tenochtitlan (Castillo pp. 43-44). The first time Cortes and Montezuma met face to face, Montezuma made a grand entrance, most likely to show Cortes how powerful he was. He wasShow MoreRelatedThe New World s Was Anything But Fair And Equal Between Men And Women1259 Words   |  6 Pagesnew world in the 1700’s was anything but fair and equal between men and women. The utopist idea of the hundred pilgrims signing the First American governing document, Mayflower Compact (Plymouth, MA-1620) was about to be rocked by centuries of racial discriminations. The Stono rebellion will trig various changes in the Colonies, this event will reshaped the 1700s’ racial status, and provide Southern states with a great opportunity to capitalize on its outcome. North America in 1700s was engaged inRead MoreWhat I Learned From Taking American Civilization 1700905 Words   |  4 PagesAt the beginning of the semester I wrote an assignment addressing what I wanted to learn from taking American Civilization 1700. I went through the course syllabus and I chose skills that I thought were important for me to know better as well as important to my future career as a teacher. Two skills that I did not list that I wanted to work on were comparing and contrasting. Comparing and contrasting are two skills that I thought I was quite good at and had no problems with. When it came to do theRead MoreThe Evolution Of The Education1566 Words   |  7 Pagesestablished as one of the first forms of Colonial education (The History of Education in America.). Grammar-Latin schools were founded as an educational institution for the children of the upper class, where boys could prepare for a role in the Church or State. The students of a Grammar-Latin school had limited availability on textbooks and paper, so they would have to recite their lessons until they had been memorized (The History of Education in America.). Primarily it was only the sons of theRead MoreEssay on Benjamin Franklin Gender Roles965 Words   |  4 Pagesgender roles prevailed?† In The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, we are reading the path that one man took to go from a middle class child to a well respected adult. Benjamin Franklin created what we know today as the American dream. Today we understand the American dream to be that one can go from rags to riches with a little hard work. The autobiography is based around the age of reason and a time man was thought to be able to be perfected by means of science and invention. The AutobiographyRead MoreThe American Revolution : A Historiographical Introduction846 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Revolution, also known as the U.S. War of Independence, started in the early 1700s and ended in the late 1700s. This war was started in an attempt to end the tension between the American colonies and the British government. After reading the article, â€Å"The American Revolution: A Historiographical Introduction,† provided by The British Library, and â€Å"The Historiography of the American Rev olution† by Michael Hattem, I have a better overall understanding of how the history of the AmericanRead MoreFrance - Change over Time Essay (French Revolution)1156 Words   |  5 Pages*As the title indicates, this is a change/continuity AP essay written for World History class. Vaguely, the essay question was: Describe change and continuity in France from the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s.*Like many other European nations in the 1700 s, France experienced a dramatic shift of sentiments against the monarchy, nobility, and Catholic Church as the people, fired by rousing new Enlightenment ideals, began to question authority and emphasize the need for equality, liberty, and democracyRead MoreGender Bias in Education680 Words   |  3 PagesGender bias has existed in education since the inception of schooling. According to the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM), during the 1700’s, women were denied access to secondary schooling, and were only given the most basic education deemed necessary to fulfill the â€Å"women’s duties† (NWHM 1). Research from the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE) has shown that when Title IX was introduced in 1972, girls were able to participate in any state-funded activity, resultingRead MoreCongressional Acts that Helps Uplift African Americans1041 Words   |  5 PagesThe Search For Throughout history, there has been a struggle for equality and justice. The oppression that African Americans have received throughout the generational period in which they first arrived in America has continued to be a raging war. Article I, Section 8 of the American Constitution enabled Congress to have certain rights and authorities over the laws. In the evaluation of the 1700s, 1800s, 1950s, and 1990s, the prolific effects can be seen through specific Congressional Acts. BetweenRead MoreAmerica Needs Gun Control Laws Essay903 Words   |  4 Pages Guns have been the weapon of choice for some of the most brutal massacres on America soil. Since early history guns have been used mainly for militia and defense purposes. But, the development of new gun technology has made firearms more accessible and deadly. Although the second amendment gives the right to bear arms, guns should be controlled and monitored by the government because guns have contributed to a lot of killings in America and will increase crime rates. Gun control can be definedRead MoreBrief Overview of American Literature From Plymouth to the 1800s657 Words   |  3 PagesThe trace in literature and history from Plymouth and Virginia colonies through the Jeffersonian Enlightenment to the transcendentalists represented by Emerson and Hawthorne all begins with John Smith, whom had been granted by a charter from King James I reached Virginia in 1607. The settlers landed in what was Jamestown ready to begin the dangerous undertaking of surviving in a new environment. Dealing with harsh winters, lack of drinking water, and the spread of disease made life in Jamestown difficult